Regular readers will know that I’m a big fan of Darkest Dungeon II (and its illustrious predecessor). As such, I’ve been keeping close tabs on the game since it first launched on PC, and I’ve followed its development up to and including the most recent major addition: the first chapter of the new Kingdoms mode.
That first expansion went by the name of Hunger of the Beast Clan, but this week’s follow-up has a much more sinister title: Secrets of the Coven. With a name like that, you’re correct to assume that it means we’re going to be dealing with some witches.
The free update introduces the second of three free campaigns for the Kingdoms mode, which is a complete remix of how Darkest Dungeon II plays. The new mode has a mini-map full of destinations, which are then linked together by your adventures in the stagecoach. It’s less linear than the original Confessions campaign.
Secrets of the Coven is not available on consoles at the time of writing, however, it has released simulataneously on both PC and Mac. The update includes a new playable campaign, new enemy types, and a bunch of quality of life improvements, as detailed below:
- Kingdoms Inn Storage
- Kingdoms Sell Items at Hoarder
- Kingdoms Start Option for Paths
- Path Comparisons
- Kingdoms Party Selection helper
You can check out the full patch notes right here if you’d like to dig into the specifics of these new features, as well as any other new additions to the game.
One thing we won’t be getting is any new narration. The actor behind the series’ iconic voice-over, Wayne June, has sadly passed away. As such, the studio has decided not to include any more vocal work / narration in modules two and three of the Kingdoms campaign, as a mark of respect for their beloved collaborator.
Finally, as part of the launch of Secrets of the Coven, Red Hook has released a new DLC supporter pack, which has a few cosmetics and whatnot, for those who want to further support the studio. It’s also worth noting that the base game is also currently discounted, so now’s a great time to dive in if you haven’t already.
